Treadle operated door openers generally consist of a rotatably mounted shaft with a radially projecting door engaging arm at one end and a radially extending pedal at the other end. When a person treads upon the pedal the shaft rotates causing the arm to push the door open. The problem with treadle operated door openers is that they tend to throw the door open rather than open the door in a controlled manner. This is especially true when the arm is located away from the hinge side of a door that pivots about a substantially vertical axis. When the arm is located immediately adjacent the hinge side of the door the problem is less acute. The arm is only able to maintain contact with the door, however, until the door is partially opened and must throw the door open the rest of the way.